Venetian blind



Sept. 12, 1939.

H. R. HAAsE 2,172,657

VENETIAN BLIND Filed Nov. 27, 1955 '2 Shee'cS-Sheel 2 Patented Sept-12, 1 939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VENETIAN BLIND Harold R. Haase, River Forest, Ill.

Application November 27, 1935, Serial No. 51,777

2 1 claims. (cl. 15s-17) This invention relates to Venetian blinds and more particularly to the control heads for supporting themin a window frame and raising and tilting the slats.

yl5 Venetian blinds, in the present form illustrated,

extend through the slats between and hidden by the two tapes of a pair. i

It ls an object of the present invention to pro- 15. vide an enclosed raising and tilting mechanism' which is simple and dependable, and the overall height of which is less than that of any mechanisms which have heretofore performed the same service satisfactorily and at low cost. There have been various attempts heretofore to provide small enclosed raising and loweringmechanisms, but they have not solved the problem. The chief difficulty is the necessity of moving the tilting tapes a distance substantially equal to the width of the slats. If the upperl ends of the tapes are simply to be raised and lowered, this would mean that the height of the housing must be something greater than the width of the slats. A small degree of improvement has been provided by using a cylindrical or semicylindrical member on which to roll the tapes, but if this member is large enough to wind both the inside and outside tapes on the rsingle roll as by passing vthem over the roll and securing them at one point, the

diameter of the roll must still be nearly as large as the width of the slats, since if the structure is not unduly expensive it is only practical to rotate the rolls about one half of a revolution or less, due to the presence of the raising pulleys between the tapes. On the other hand, if a separate roll is used for each tape, and the rolls, being positioned beside the raising pulleys, are made correspondingly small, it is necessary to turn them too many revolutions in order to wind on them the adequate length of tape, and furthermore, the one on which the tape is wound vhas a much larger diameter than the one from which the tape has been unwound. There is also the difficulty that the suspension points of the two tapes of a pair are comparatively fixed and must be so `far apart that it is difficult to make the slats hang properly when they are tilted nearly to the vertical position. i

'I'he present invention `solves the problem by providing for each pair of tapes a rocker arm having a tape supporting member at each end thereof, this member in the preferred form bey ing a roller over which the tape is passed to be secured at a fixed point at the bottom of the housing. As the arm is "pivoted, raising one of the rollers, this roller draws the tape up at twice the speed of the upward movement of the roller.

us, if the roller moves upwardly an inch-and a quarter, approximately two and a half inches of the tape will be drawn up. With this arrangel ment it is possible to use fairly small rollers, which leave room at the center for the pulleys over which the raising cords are drawn.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for tilting the tilt rod, which can be driven 15 by the usual tilt cord, and which has adequate power in spite of being small enough to fit within the space required by the rest of the mechanism.

A further object is to provide an assembly of a tilting and raising mechanism and an enclosing 20 and supporting housing therefor, which is sturdy and reliable and yet inexpensive to manufacture.'

Other objects and advantages of my invention -will be apparent from the following description,

taken with the drawings, in which: 25

Fig. l is an elevation of the Venetian blind which may embody the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged' plan view of the same, partially broken away.

Fig. 3 is a verticalsectional View taken substan- 30 tially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are vertical sectional views taken substantially along the line 5--5 of Fig. 3, but v31 showing the parts in different positions.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view on a still larger scale, showing the arrangement of the raising cords.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view substantially 4.1i along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, but showing the f parts in a different position.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one of the brackets for supporting the control mechanism within the housing. 4.'.

Fig'. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a modification of the invention.

Although this invention may take numerous forms, only one major form and a detail modification have been chosen for illustration. Ac- 50 cording'to this form, the usual slats II are suspended in proper relationship by the usual tilt tapes I2 which are supported and controlled by mechanism within the housing I3, this mechanism being driven by a. control cord I 4. vIn thel 55 illustrated form the cord I4 is a ball type `o f chain, but the term cord is used here as a term broad enough to include any such flexible control member. When it is desired to raise the slats, this is done by pulling the raising cord I6, which runs over pulleys and down through the slats II behind the outer tilt tapes I2. A

As seen in Figs. 2 to 7, the tilting mechanism includes a Atilt rod I8 which is pivoted through rabout 90 by operation of the control cord I4 and scew I9 in a manner described below. The tilt rod I8 passes through, and is pivoted in, brackets 2I which are shown in detail in Fig. 10 and are spot welded to the housing I3. 'I'he tilt rod I8 may be of a polygonal cross section or of a generally circular cross section with one side flattened. l

Secured on the tilt b eamI8 in a manner to be rotated therewith, are a plurality of rocker members 23, each of which is stamped from sheet metal and includes the back portion 24 and the side portions 26 which are extended to form rocker arms 21. Supported by the rocker arms 21 are rollers 28 pivotablefon the shafts 29. Each pair of tilt tapes I2 is controlled by one of these rocker members 23, each tape being passed up around a roller 28 and secured at a point therebelow in any suitable manner as by a pin 3I whichpasses through the opposite vside portions 45 of the bracket 2I and is held in place by a clip arm 32 snapping over one side 45 of the bracket 2|, as seen best in Fig. 3.

The operation of the rocker members 23 is best seen in Figs. 5, 6 and 7, in which it is ap-` parent that as a roller 28 is raised by the rocker arm, it draws the corresponding tape I2 up twice as far as the roller itself moves. Thus between Figs. 5 and 6, the roller is moved the distance A, while the corresponding edge of the slat has been moved the distance B, which is; twice the distance A. In other words, the roller 28 draws out or lengthens a loop in the tilt tape I2, but in doing so it must, of course, lengthen both sides of the loop, and the length of tape used in lengthening both sides of Ithe loop is the length by which the main portion of the tape I2 is raised. It should be noted that, as seen at the right-hand side of Fig. 6, the portion of the tape I2 extending from the roller 28 to the pin 3| is not vertical and in fact is almost radial with respect to the arcuate movement of the roller 28. Until this right-hand roller gets approximately to the position shown in Fig. 5, this end strand of the loop will not be greatly lengthened. For this reason the movement of the tape I2 will not be quite twice the movement of the roller 28. It is desirable, therefore, to position the pin 3| as far toward the center of the bottom of the housing I3 as it can be positioned without touching the main strand of the tilt tape I2 in any position.

This double length movement of the tilt tapes I2 is, of course, accomplished at the cost of doubling the force which must be exerted on the rollers 28. This means that the device for pivoting the tilt rod I8 must be quite sturdy and durable. This requirement is somewhat complicated by the small size of the housing. However, as seen best in Figs. 2, 4 and 9, this problem has been solved by the present invention. The tilt rod I8 extends through a U-shaped crank lever 36 having holes shaped to prevent rotation between the rod and the crank lever, and having slots 31 in its two legs. The edges of these slots engage pins 38 in a worm collar 39, which is mounted oli and driven by the screw I9 journalled in a bracket 4I and having a drive pulley 42 keyed'to one end. 'Ihe tilt rod rotates in, and is positioned by, a hole ,in the side 4I)v of bracket 4I Although in this arrangementthe torque arm is only the vertical distance from the center of the tilt bar I8 to the center of thepins 38, the power and ruggedness is such that trouble at this source is virtually impossible. The drive pulley 42 may, of course, be of vany form preferred, preferably having a. roughened or irregular groove to prevent the cord from slipping. If desired, there may be a guard to prevent the cord from running oi the pulley.

The brackets 2l are preferably stamped from sheet metal and may be shaped as shown in Fig. 10. The upstanding sides 45 are connected by a center strap 46 on which are upturned ears 41 through which extends a pin 48, on which a raising pulley 49 rotates. The strap 46 has a hole 5I formed therein, through which the cord I6 extends. At each end of each side 45 is formed a welding ear 53 which is spot welded to the side of the housing I3, thus positioning the bracket rmly and securely, and at the same time causing the bracket to reinforce the housing. 'Ihe major portion of the sides 45 may be stamped out to form openings 54 through which the cord may pass. In lugs left by the opening 54, holes 56 may be punched in the stamping operation, or, if preferred, they may be drilled. All of the holes 56 are alined so that the tilt rod I8 may be passed therethrough. They may engage it tightly enough to keep it from sliding lengthwise, but this is not necessary.

The path of the raising cords I6 is shown best in Fig. 8, it being understood that the ends are secured as usual to the bottom board of the blind, although this has not been shown. From each end the cord passes upwardly through slots in the slats and then passes upwardly through an opening 5I and over and around a pulley 49. As shown in Fig. 8, the branch extending from the left may then pass over the pulley 49 shown in Fig. 8, and from there on both branches move together. From the roller 49 the cords pass adjacent'a vertically-extending portion 55 of the lpin therefrom. From the pulley 58 the cords pass over a pulley 6I rotatably carried by the lock housing 62 spot welded to main housing I3 and in which is provided a knurled wheel 63 engaging a correspondingly toothed portion 64 of the lock housing 62. The cords pass between the pulleys 6I and the knurled wheel 63, being separated and prevented from twisting by a wire 65 secured, as by welding, to the lock housing62. This wire may form a support for wheel 53 in its lower position, but does not otherwise contact the rotating parts. If the shade is drawn up by drawing down the free loop of the cord I8, and then allowed to settle back with the cords held in the vertical position, these cords will engage the wheel 63 and roll it up on the toothed portion 64 until it is wedged between this portion and the pulley 6I, or the cord thereon. The knurled wheel 63 then forms an effective lock for the cord holding the blind in raised position. To release the cord and the blind it is merely neceslilierdiathe,eigenaar 1 ,knurledfwheel .6% .and from this position itfmay .tun freely afeundfth@ pulley` Sinthesi lowering 'the blind.

Y In Fig.` llhas beenfshoyrn Val lock or brakewbich does not afect the operation -of the tilt mechanism butA has a decided advantage of simplicity over the brakestructureshown lin Fig. 3, In this formthe vhousingG Ttcarries thermaln pulley 6| nearthe bottom thereof and has the knurled wheel 63 running along atrack t1 which maintains it just below engagement with the teethy B4'along the slanting top of theI ence of gravity. When in the right-hand position shown in Fig. 11, the knurled WheelV 63 will not engage the cord |6; or, if the loose loop portion of the cord is shifted to the right, it will pivot a plate 1| in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot pin 12 and will kick the knurled wheel 63 into engagement with the cord 16, which will raise it into engagement with the teeth 64', so that the Weight of the blindon the cord I6 will draw the roller 63 into locking position. With this form of brake mechanism the cord I6 is suiliciently low as it passes over the roller 6I so that it is not necessary to provide a roller 5B to guide the cord sufficiently low to pass over the tilt rod I8. It will then be possible to dispense with the pulley 58 or to turn it at such angle as to utilize it entirely for centering the cords in alinement both with the pulleys 49 and the pulley 6|.

Whatever form of brake may be used, the advantage of the tilting mechanism is unaffected. With an extremely simple mechanism the tilt tape will give approximately twice the movement of the actuating rollers, and hence the height of the control head may be only a little more than half of the length of movement of the tapes. Of course, with other arrangements of rollers it would be possible to get a three-for-one movement, oran even higher ratio than this if that should ever be commercially desirable.

One of the advantages of this invention is the simplicity with which it may be formed and assembled. The housing I3 may be stamped from sheet metal, the various holes therein being formed in the stamping operation if desired. The curled cord-guiding knobs 61 may be formed integrally or separately. The brackets 2| and Il may also be formed from sheet metal by stamping, a guard 68 preferably being formed or secured in the position shown. After the raising pulleys 49 have been secured to the brackets 2|, and the screw I9 and pulley 42 have been assembled in bracket 4I, these brackets and the assembled lock housing 62 may be welded in place. The tilt bar I8 may then be threaded through the respective brackets and also through the rocker arms 23 and U-shaped crank lever 36, which will be held in position as the bar is threaded through them. If the rod is long enough so that there is not room between it and the end'V of the housing |3 for it to slideout of any of the parts mounted thereon, it need not be secured in place. As a matter of fact, the holes may be slightly out of alinementyso that the '/.r'e'siliency ofthe tilt rod will cause it to fricienally engage ,the holes end'keep itself. innacelnser-.eneagesthe ,Se crank .member ,d vmore early above the .-.desribedwhe blindfmay Yimattaclled theretorby f' passingrthe i cordsv over and aroundthe ,pulleys as l illustrated, and by Passing. Ithe ti1t ,;tapes over and around the rollers 2B and` securingl their ends ing-place, by linserting thef-` pins .3'| through loops previouslysewed inthe endsof thetilt tapes 2 asillustrated. yThe upper ends of theypinsl areysnapped over the sides .#5 of the brackets I3, thus retaining the. pins yinplace.

The sides of the bracket 4,3 maybe provided with notches asg'shown, ,for the snap` arms 32 of the pins3l, soythat nothing willpproject above Lthe housing I3, sothatit may lt unobtrusively thereby,v but limit my invention only rby `the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: f y 3 1. In a Venetian blind including a plurality of slats, a plurality of pairs of tilt tapes supporting said slats and controlling their inclination, and means for supporting and controlling said tapes including an enclosing support casing; a tilt rod pivotally mounted in said casing, a plurality of rocker members secured on said rod and having rocker arms extending therefrom in both lateral directions, and rollers plvotally carried at the ends of the rocker arms, each of said tapes extending up over and around a roller andA being secured in the lower part of the casing; and means for pivoting said lrod and rocking said rocker members.

2. In a Venetian blind including a plurality of slats, a tilt tape extending along one side of said slats and connected to the same for controlling their inclination; means forraising said tape including a shiftable and rotatable member engaging said tape and raising it approximately by the sum of its peripheral rotative movement and its upward movement.

3. A Venetian blind including a plurality of slats, a tilt tape extending along one side of said slats and connected to the same for controlling their inclination and. secured to a suitable support means at its upper end, and means for drawing and extending a loop in said tilt tape upwardly above the point of' its attachment to said support means, thus raising the tape at a speed greater than the speed of movement of said means. p

4. A control head for a Venetian blind including a support, a rocker arm pivoted to the support about a horizontal axis to `cause its end to be raised and lowered, a roller pivoted at each end of said arm, and means adjacent the lower position of each of said rollers'for securing an end of a tilt tape passing up and over said roller.

5. A control head for a Venetian blindv including a support, tilt-tape control mean'slsupported thereby including a tilt rod and means for pivoting said rod including a screw journalled on said support' on ai xed axis 4transye,rseto ,that of` theV tilt rod, acallar threadedonsaid screw, vand crank means engagingA said:` rodguand roller, a pin extending through said bracket members and through a loop formed on the end of and actuated by it as said screw turns to pivot said rod, and means for turning said screw.

6. A Venetian blind including a plurality of "slats, a tilt tape extending along one side of said slats and connecting the same for controlling their inclination, a 'control head including a shiftable roller over and around which said tape passes, bracket members on opposite sides of said roller, roller control mechanism mounted on said bracket members and movably supporting said said tape, and a cord extending through said slats for raising the same and extending over a pulley supported by said bracket members, 'said pin having a handle portion extending toward said pulley and forming a guide for said cord.

'1. A control head for a Venetian blind including a support, a raising cord pulley pivoted on said support, a rocker arm pivoted to said support at a point suiliciently higher than said pulley to permit the cord to pass between the pulley and the pivot of the arm and operative to position its opposite ends alternately on opposite sides of said pulley, and a pulley.unit operating to guide the raising cord to keep it clear of said rocker arm between the rocker arm pivot and the pulley.

8. A control head for a Venetian blind including a housing having opposite longitudinally extending side walls, and a bracket including spaced transverse vertical members secured to each of the side walls for bracing the side walls and supporting the bracket, and a connecting web carried by the vertical members and supporting a pulley midway between the side walls for receiving a raising cord, and tilting means pivotally supported by the bracket and adapted to manipulate tilt tapes extending downwardly therefrom on opposite sides of the pulley.

9. In a blind of the class including a plurality of slats, a tilt tape extending along one side of the slats and connecting the same for controlling their inclination, a control head including bracket members, a roller supported by the bracket members, means for raising and lowering the roller, and a pin extending through the bracket members for securing the tilt tape thereto; the tilt tape extending over and partially around the roller and having a loop formed in its end through which the pin passes.

1Q. A control head for a Venetian blind including a support, a rocker arm pivoted to the support, rollers secured to the opposite ends of the f rocker arm, and tilt tapes for controlling the inclination of the blind extending upwardly over and around the rollers and secured adjacent the lower positions thereof whereby the movement of the tilt tapes is greater than the length of the vertical movement of the rollers.

11. A control head for a Venetian blind including a. support housing, a raising cord pulley supported by the housing and pivoted near its bottom, a rocker arm pivotally mounted in the housing at .a point sufliciently higher than the pulley to permit the cord to pass between the pulley and the pivot of the arm, a cord lock within the housing including a pulley which because of the construction of the lock must carry the cord nearly to the top of the housing, and a guide pulley for guiding the cord to a level at which it may pass under and keep clear of the rocker arm.

12. In a blind of the general class including a plurality of slats, a tilt tape extending along one side ofthe slats and connecting the same for controlling their inclination, a control head for controlling the tape, and a raising cord passing through the slats and supported by the control head: a shiftable roller over and around which the tape puses. bracket members on opposite sides of said roller, roller control mechanism mounted on said'bracket members and movably supporting the roller, a pulley supported by said bracket members and around which said raising cord passes, and a pin extending through the bracket members and through a loop formed on the end of the tape and having a handle portion extending toward said pulley and forming a guide for said cord.

13. In a blind of the general class including a plurality of slats, a tilt tape extending along each side of the slats and .connecting the same for controlling their inclination, a raising cord extending through the slats, and a support for controlling said tilt tape and having a pulley over which said raising cord passes: a rocker arm pivoted to the support at a point sufliciently higher than the pulley .to permit the cord to pass between the pulley and the pivot of the varm and having opposite ends for controlling the tapes and operative in said control to be alternately positioned on opposite sides of said pulley, and an additional pulley unit operable to guide the raising cord to keep it, clear of the rocker arm between the rocker arm pivot and the first named pulley and to guide the cord laterally with respect to the slats so that the cord will not interfere with the movement of the slats.

14. In a control head for a Venetian blind of the general class including a housing having opposite longitudinally-extending side walls and means for manipulating tilt tapes and a pulley for guiding a raising cord: a bracket including spaced transverse vertical members secured to each of the side walls for bracing the side walls and supporting the bracket, andv a connecting web carried by the vertical members and supporting said pulley between the side walls, said vertical members being adapted to pivotally support the tilt tape manipulating means.

l5. In a blind of the general class including a plurality of slats, a tilt tape extending along each side of the slats and connecting the same for controlling their inclination, a raising cord extending through the slats, and a support for controlling said tilt tape and having a pulley over which said raising cord passes: a rocker arm pivoted to the support at a point suiliciently higher than the pulley to permit the cord to pass between the` pulley and the pivot of the armv and having opposite ends for controlling the tapes and operative in said control to be alternately positioned on opposite sides of said pulley, and an additional pulley unit operable to guide the raising cord to keep it clear of the rocker arm between the rocker arm pivot and the first named pulley and to guide the cord laterally with respect to the slats so that the cord will not interfere with the movement of the slats, said tilt tapes for controlling the inclination of the blind extending upwardly over and around rollers carried by the rocker arm and secured adjacent the lower positions thereof whereby movement of the tilt tapes is greater than the length of vertical movement of the rollers.

16. In a control head for a Venetian blind of the general class including a support housing, a raising cord pulley, and tilt tape control means; a rocker arm forming part of the tilt tape control means, pivotally mounted in the housing at a point suiliciently higher Athan the pulley to permit the cord to pass between the pulley and the pivot of the arm, a cord lock within the housing and including a pulley which, because of the construction of the lock. carries the cord nearly to the top of the housing, and a guide pulley for guiding the cord to a level at which it may pass under and keep clear of the rocker arm.

1'7. A control head for a Venetian blind of the general type including a support housing, a raising cord pulley supported by the housing and pivoted near its bottom, tilt tape control means pivotally mounted in the housing, and a raising cord extending over the pulley and longitudinally of the housing, characterized by the provision of a rocker element as part of the tilt tape control means which is pivoted in the upper portion of the housing above the cord passing therethrough and of generally angular cross section whereby in one direction the rockerl extends steeply downwardly while in the other direction it extends more nearly horizontally, and the length of the arms of the rocker element from its axis being over one-half the height of the housing whereby the tapes may be moved substantially the full height oi' the housing while the rocker element rocks less than degrees.

18. A control head for a Venetian blind, including a. support, iiexible tilt-control means adapted to engage and tilt the slats, and operating nieans supported by the support near the top of the head for moving said ilexible controlmeans between anextended position and a retracted position, including a member over 4which the tiltcontrol means is at times hung with a sist-carrying length extending downwardly and a control length extending around the member less than one convolution and extending away therefrom,l

and additional means for causing a retraction of the tilt-control means a. length greater than the height of the head by causing a portion of the Slat-carrying length to pass around said member and away therefrom to form part of the control length, said additional means including a. member engaging the control length to prevent its being drawn over said first mentioned member by the weight oi the slats.

19. A control head for a Venetian blind including a support, a rocker arm pivoted to the support, tilt-means engaging members secured to the opposite ends of the rocker arm, and tilt meansy for controlling the inclination of the blind extending upwardly over and at times around each member and secured at times adjacent the member in the lower position thereof and secured remotely from the member in the position of the parts designed for full tape retraction, whereby the movement of the tilt means is greater than the length of the vertical movement of the member.

20. A control head for a Venetian blind including a support, an arm pivoted to the support, a tilt-means engaging member secured to the end of the arm, and tilt means for controlling the inclination of the blind extending upwardly over and at times around the member and secured at times adjacent the member in the lower position thereof and secured remotely from the member in the position of the parts designed for full tape retraction, whereby the movement of the tilt means is' greater than the length of the vertical movenent of the members.

21.', A control unit for controlling the tilt means of`a Venetian blind, including a iirst member to which the tilt means is secured and a second member i'or loosely engaging the same tilt means, and means causing a separation of said members and a displacement of the second of them in a direction to retract the tilt means whereby the tilt means is retracted by approximately the sum of the increase in separation od the members and l0 the retractive displacement.

`HAROLD R. HAABE. 

